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Twenty-On

Western Pacific Tropical Depression · WP212026
20.4°N, 167.7°E
Moving N at 7 mph
Max Winds
35 mph
Pressure
1000 mb
Forecast Points
7
JMA Winds (10-min avg)
30.0 kt
JMA Pressure
1004.0 hPa
JMA (10-min average): tracked, no typhoon number assigned

Summary

Tropical Depression 21W is currently a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. It is tracking northward at about 7 mph, and the forecast calls for it to strengthen into a tropical storm while continuing generally north to north-northwest over the next few days. As of 270000Z, the center was near 20.4N 167.7E, about 91 nautical miles northeast of Wake Island. The system is expected to accelerate northward over the next 12 to 24 hours, then turn gradually toward the north-northwest after about 12 hours and maintain that general track through about 72 hours. Forecast intensity peaks around 50 knots (about 58 mph) by 48 hours. After that, the storm is expected to weaken rapidly as wind shear increases and dry air moves in, and it is forecast to begin becoming subtropical by about 72 hours, with subtropical transition complete by no later than 96 hours.
Key messages
  • Tropical Depression 21W has 35 mph sustained winds and is moving northward, with strengthening expected soon.
  • The storm is forecast to peak near 58 mph (tropical storm strength) around 48 hours before weakening rapidly afterward.
  • By about 72 hours it is expected to start becoming subtropical, with subtropical transition complete by no later than 96 hours.

Forecast intensity

JTWC forecast maximum sustained winds (mph) by hour.

Satellite Imagery (IR)

Twenty-On IR satellite
CIRA/RAMMB · 27 Aug 03:40 UTC
JTWC Warning #1 27 Aug 00:00 UTC
WTPN32 PGTW 270300
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/TROPICAL DEPRESSION 21W (TWENTYONE) WARNING NR 001//
RMKS/
1. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 21W (TWENTYONE) WARNING NR 001    
   03 ACTIVE TROPICAL CYCLONES IN NORTHWESTPAC
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS BASED ON ONE-MINUTE AVERAGE
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
    ---
   WARNING POSITION:
   270000Z --- NEAR 20.4N 167.7E
     MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS - 010 DEGREES AT 06 KTS
     POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 060 NM
     POSITION BASED ON CENTER LOCATED BY SATELLITE
   PRESENT WIND DISTRIBUTION:
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 030 KT, GUSTS 040 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   REPEAT POSIT: 20.4N 167.7E
    ---
   FORECASTS:
   12 HRS, VALID AT:
   271200Z --- 22.0N 168.1E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 040 KT, GUSTS 050 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 060 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            060 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            010 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            030 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 24 HR POSIT: 350 DEG/ 09 KTS
    ---
   24 HRS, VALID AT:
   280000Z --- 23.7N 167.8E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 045 KT, GUSTS 055 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 090 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            100 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            060 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 36 HR POSIT: 345 DEG/ 08 KTS
    ---
   36 HRS, VALID AT:
   281200Z --- 25.2N 167.3E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 050 KT, GUSTS 065 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 030 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            020 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 110 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            100 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            070 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 48 HR POSIT: 350 DEG/ 09 KTS
    ---
   EXTENDED OUTLOOK:
   48 HRS, VALID AT:
   290000Z --- 27.0N 166.9E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 050 KT, GUSTS 065 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 050 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            030 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 130 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            110 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            050 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            070 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 60 HR POSIT: 345 DEG/ 11 KTS
    ---
   60 HRS, VALID AT:
   291200Z --- 29.2N 166.2E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 050 KT, GUSTS 065 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 050 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            030 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 140 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            090 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            050 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            080 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 72 HR POSIT: 340 DEG/ 09 KTS
    ---
   72 HRS, VALID AT:
   300000Z --- 31.0N 165.5E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 045 KT, GUSTS 055 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   BECOMING SUBTROPICAL
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 100 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            090 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            050 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            070 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 96 HR POSIT: 010 DEG/ 05 KTS
    ---
   LONG RANGE OUTLOOK:
    ---
   96 HRS, VALID AT:
   310000Z --- 32.9N 165.8E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 035 KT, GUSTS 045 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   SUBTROPICAL
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 150 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            100 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            060 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            050 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
    ---
REMARKS:
270300Z POSITION NEAR 20.8N 167.8E.27AUG26. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 21W 
(TWENTYONE), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 91 NM NORTHEAST OF WAKE ISLAND, HAS 
TRACKED NORTHWARD AT 06 KNOTS OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. MINIMUM CENTRAL 
PRESSURE AT 270000Z IS 1000 MB. MAXIMUM SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT AT 
270000Z IS 12 FEET. NEXT WARNINGS AT 270900Z, 271500Z, 272100Z AND 
280300Z. REFER TO TYPHOON 17W (SAUDEL) WARNINGS (WTPN31 PGTW) FOR SIX-
HOURLY UPDATES. REFER TO TROPICAL DEPRESSION 20W (TWENTY) WARNINGS 
(WTPN33 PGTW) FOR SIX-HOURLY UPDATES.//
NNNN
Forecast Reasoning 27 Aug 03:00 UTC
WDPN32 PGTW 270300
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL DEPRESSION 21W (TWENTYONE) 
WARNING NR 001//
RMKS/
1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS.
2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS.

SUMMARY:
   INITIAL POSITION: 20.4N 167.7E
   INITIAL INTENSITY: 30 KTS
   GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 91 NM NORTHEAST OF WAKE ISLAND
   MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: NORTHWARD AT 06 KTS
   SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 12 FEET

SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION:
ANIMATED MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY (MSI) DEPICTS A RAPIDLY
CONSOLIDATING, BUT STILL DISORGANIZED, SYSTEM WITH A PARTIALLY EXPOSED 
LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) FLARING DEEP CONVECTION ALIGNED 
ALONG THE SOUTHEASTERN FLANK. A 262127Z ASCAT-B PASS REVEALED A COMPACT 
BUT WELL-DEFINED LLCC, HAVING CLOSED OFF AND CONSOLIDATED SINCE THE 
PREVIOUS SCATTEROMETER PASS 12 HOURS PRIOR. THE SCATTEROMETER DATA 
SHOWED A RELATIVELY LARGE, BUT ASYMMETRIC WIND FIELD, WITH LIGHT WINDS 
ALONG THE WESTERN FLANK AND 25-30 KNOTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE EASTERN 
HEMISPHERE OF THE CIRCULATION. THE SCATTEROMETER DATA WAS THE PRIMARY 
DATA SUPPORTING HIGH CONFIDENCE IN THE INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY. 
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE, CHARACTERIZED BY VERY WARM 
SSTS, HIGH OHC, STRONG POLEWARD OUTFLOW ALOFT AND LOW VERTICAL WIND 
SHEAR.

INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: NOT APPLICABLE (THERE ARE NO INITIAL WIND
RADII).

CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: WESTERN FLANK OF A LOW TO MID-LEVEL
EXTENSION OF A SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) TO THE EAST. 

AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: 
   PGTW: T1.5 - 25 KTS

FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: FAVORABLE
   VWS: 5-10 KTS
   SST: 29-30 CELSIUS
   OUTFLOW: STRONG POLEWARD

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE:
   INITIAL POSITION: HIGH
   INITIAL INTENSITY: HIGH
   INITIAL WIND RADII: NOT APPLICABLE

3. FORECAST REASONING.

SIGNIFICANT FORECAST CHANGES: THIS INITIAL PROGNOSTIC REASONING
MESSAGE ESTABLISHES THE FORECAST PHILOSOPHY.

FORECAST DISCUSSION: TROPICAL DEPRESSION (TD) 21W IS CURRENTLY MOVING 
SLOWLY NORTHWARD ALONG THE BUILDING EXTENSION OF THE STR CENTERED TO 
THE NORTHEAST. AS THE RIDGE CONTINUES TO BUILD, AND TD 21W INTENSIFIES, 
THE GRADIENT WILL STRENGTHEN, RESULTING IN TD 21 ACCELERATING NORTHWARD 
OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. A GRADUAL TURN NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD IS 
EXPECTED AFTER TAU 12, WITH THE SYSTEM MAINTAINING THIS GENERAL 
TRAJECTORY THROUGH TAU 72. BY THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD, THE STR 
BUILDS INTO THE SOUTH OF TD 21W, RESULTING IN A TURN BACK TO THE 
NORTHEAST BY TAU 96. OF NOTE, THE SYSTEM IS THE DOMINANT SYSTEM IN A 
BINARY INTERACTION WITH TD 20W TO THE SOUTHWEST. 20W IS FORECAST TO BE 
CAPTURED BY AND ULTIMATELY MERGE WITH THE BROAD WIND FIELD ASSOCIATED 
WITH 21W BY TAU 72. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT SIZE DIFFERENCE, 
THE IMPACT OF THE MERGER ON THE TRACK OF 21W WILL BE MINIMAL. REGARDING 
INTENSITY, ONCE THE SYSTEM ACHIEVES SYMMETRIZATION IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 
HOURS, IT WILL LAUNCH A PERIOD OF INTENSIFICATION FUELED BY STRONG 
POLEWARD OUTFLOW, LOW SHEAR AND WARM SSTS. HOWEVER, THE WINDOW OF 
OPPORTUNITY WILL BE SHORT-LIVED AND THE SYSTEM WILL STRUGGLE AGAINST 
DRY MID-LEVEL AIR ALONG THE WESTERN PERIPHERY. TD 21W REACHES ITS PEAK 
INTENSITY OF 50 KNOTS BY TAU 48, THEN BEGINS TO MOVE UNDER A FINGER OF 
THE SUBTROPICAL JET WHICH WILL INDUCE SHARPLY INCREASED SHEAR AND DRY 
AIR ENTRAINMENT, LEADING TO A RAPID WEAKENING PHASE. BY TAU 72, AS THE 
VORTEX DECOUPLES AND IS ENGULFED BY DRY MID-LEVEL AIR, PASSES ACROSS 
THE SUBTROPICAL JET FINGER AND MOVES UNDER AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW, IT 
BEGINS A RAPID SUBTROPICAL TRANSITION (STT). STT IS FORECAST TO BE 
COMPLETE NO LATER THAN TAU 96.  

MODEL DISCUSSION: TRACK GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE BULK 
OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. NAVGEM IS THE SOLE OUTLIER, SWITCHING BETWEEN 
TRACKING THE VORTEX ASSOCIATED WITH 21W AND 20W AND POSITIONED FAR TO 
THE WEST OF THE REMAINDER OF THE GUIDANCE. THE EMCWF TRACKER IS 
SIMILARLY HAVING DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING A LOCK ON THE VORTEX 
ASSOCIATED WITH 21W, THOUGH THE MODEL FIELDS PROVIDE A GOOD LOCK ON THE 
VORTEX AND SHOW A TRACK SIMILAR TO THE REMAINDER OF THE MODEL TRACKERS. 
THE CROSS-TRACK SPREAD AT TAU 96 IS APPROXIMATELY 150NM BETWEEN THE 
GALWEM ON THE WEST SIDE AND THE GFS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ENVELOPE. 
THE JTWC FORECAST IS PLACED CLOSE TO MODIFIED CONSENSUS WHICH DELETES 
THE NAVGEM AND ECMWF TRACKERS, WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE. INTENSITY 
GUIDANCE IS GENERALLY IN AGREEMENT ON THE OVERALL INTENSITY TREND, WITH 
A RANGE OF PEAK INTENSITIES BETWEEN 45 KNOTS ON THE LOWER END (HAFS-A 
AND GFS) AND 65 KNOTS ON THE HIGH END (CTCX AND SHIPS-NAVGEM). THE JTWC 
FORECAST IS PLACED NEAR THE MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS MEAN WITH MEDIUM 
CONFIDENCE. 

FORECAST CONFIDENCE:
   TRACK 00-72 HR: MEDIUM
   TRACK 72-120 HR: MEDIUM
   INTENSITY 00-72 HR: MEDIUM
   INTENSITY 72-120 HR: MEDIUM//
NNNN
Products not available for West Pacific storms
  • NEXRAD radar — no radar coverage over the open West Pacific.
  • Storm-surge inundation — no public storm-surge model for this basin.
  • Wind-speed probabilities — JTWC does not publish them.
  • Watches and warnings — issued by local agencies (PAGASA, JMA, CWA), not JTWC.
  • Reconnaissance aircraft — no routine aircraft reconnaissance in the West Pacific.
  • Rapid-intensification and shear diagnostics — SHIPS-based guidance is not published for this basin.
These are data-availability limits for the West Pacific basin, not omissions.

Source: U.S. Navy/Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), via the UCAR Tropical Cyclone Guidance Project. JTWC data is in the public domain. · Updated 2026-08-27 03:10 UTC · JMA analysis: Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (10-minute average winds). Satellite imagery: CIRA/RAMMB.